Friday, March 6, 2009

Fighting the Good Fight

Gays STILL want to be treated equally, can you believe it???? they can't just let it go? the nerve...

It seems so incredibly simple to me. Two people love each other and want to make a commitment to each other, so they get married.

But it's not truly that easy, is it? Not when there are crazy, angry, hateful people like this!(Is that a "Yes on 8" smock???)

If I were those people protesting, I'd be ashamed to show my face in public! Whatever happened to it not being socially acceptable to be so outwardly bigoted? Even the KKKwears masks!

Well, now that I've got that out of my system, lets get to the heart of the matter. So, the California Supreme Court heard arguments for and against the already passed Proposition 8, which reversed the decision that allowed ALL couples to marry legally in the state. Arguing in favor of upholding Prop 8 was Attorney Kenneth Starr, who seeks to forcibly divorce the 18,000 same sex couples who married in the six short months marriage was legal for all couples in California. Starr offered this profound statement during his argument: "Under our theory, the people are sovereign and can doeven very unwise things that tug at the equality principle... rights are ultimately defined by the people."So basically, despite the fact that the constitution guarantees equality and protection for minority groups, the people have the higher power to override those rights. Wonderful. I sincerely hope the California Supreme Court Justices decide differently (and ultimately overturn Prop. 8).

What really kills me is that the "majority" voters are not affected by Prop. 8 in ANY WAY! No matter what the court decides, they still get to go home to their spouse, marriage and family in tact, and resume their lives just as they were before they cast their hateful vote. Loving gay couples, on the other hand, are forced to have their relationships denied the dignity and respect they deserve (along with1138 federal rights and responsibilities!)

The reality is, same sex couples live in every single state and many of them are raising children, despite the fact that their marriages aren't legally recognized. The truth is that gays have been marrying for years and years, regardless of legal recognition. Love can never be taken away from them, not even with a majority vote. Its only a matter of time before the majority agrees that all couples deserve to be legally committed to one another.

The days of acceptable discrimination toward gays are ending. Gordon Brown (UK's prime minister) has already condemned Prop. 8, saying that its "attempt to undo good that has been done is unacceptable... This shows why we have always got to be vigilant, always got to fight homophobic behavior and any form of discrimination." (We're waiting Obama...)

In my lifetime, I expect people to become ashamed of themselves (or their parents or grandparents) for voting against gay rights, back when it was acceptable to do so. check out these Crazies, donning the most absurd t-shirts and signs I'VE ever seen!

Right, because the only way to discriminate against a person or group of people is on the basis of race! STOP! Do not validate! Don't be ignorant! Protect the Children! Yes! Divorce the parents who are raising the children! That's the ONLY way to protect the children!

Beautiful, isn't it? I honestly cannot see how the love obsessed queer underdogs won't eventually win this war! All they want to do is love each other! Love has to win! It just has to! Here are a few more quality photos from the "Overturn Prop. 8 Vigils" held in San Francisco (what a difference in tone from the negativity, hate and condemnation spewing from the Prop. 8 supporters).

Along those happier lines, Connecticut held their legislative hearing today to officially put marriage equality on the law books. Anne Stanback from Love Makes a Familygave a compelling testimony, with this as her closing statement, "What could possibly be wrong with making it easier for me to take care of and be responsible for the person I have made a lifelong commitment to? What could possibly be wrong with allowing the same thing for the other couples here today? Marriage is about building stronger families. Building stronger families builds stronger communities, and that is a good thing for all of us."

I couldn't agree more. And I'm so proud of my state for leading this great civil rights movement. Also on more positive notes, GLAD has filed a federal lawsuit againstDOMA("Defense of Marriage Act"), a new marriage equality bill has just been introduced in Minnesota, and lawmakers inVermont(the pioneer state of the "civil union") have promised to make marriage equality a top priority.

I fully understand that this will be a long and bumpy road, but look at all the progress that has been made in the past decade alone! There is a lot of fighting to do and since gays and lesbians are the minority, their straight allies are more important than ever. And once the people who support only "traditional marriage" realize how much better a world it will be when we embrace diversity and respect all relationships, that's when real change will come. Love will win out.

So, fight the good fight, pledge to support full equality, sign thepetitionat EndtheLies.com.